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Is the average Weasyl user LESS tolerant to fetish-driven art?

Compared to other communities that do not ban mature and adult furry content?

I just had to ask. While browsing I see users very often talking as if this kind of art is like the bad apple of furry, not real quality art or that it should be discouraged, etc.

Can any fetishist artist or someone who knows such artists well enough, that are active in weasyl AND other sites like FA tell me if this is true?
I'm not going to quote or give links, but some of the posts I saw in this very forum (the whole forum not the art section) I thought were a little too elistist towards this kind of work.

Not sure using the term fetish properly here. I don't mean just flat out porn. I mean things as simple as characters with large breasts or bulges.

I'm not fond of it, myself,
but I don't give a shit about what people draw (most of the time) as long as it's rated and tagged appropriately, and I don't have to see it.
Just like how people aren't gonna see my sexually-focused stuff, unless they deliberately go looking for it.

I think the biggest issue comes from misratings and lack of proper tag use, as well as an overabundance or emphasis solely on that kind of stuff.

Although anything sexualized is going to attract scrutiny, be it furry or any other subject.
That's just an attitude to be expected.

There are times I'm not certain of Weasyl. I noticed similar comments at the start. I get that people want to keep things wholesome or don't want to accidentally see sexual work as Vae mentioned. Correct tagging and people's personal preferences are important. I respect that.

However, I was introduced to furry-themed art directly through its unabashed sexuality and encouragement of embracing one's sexual nature instead of forcing what is proper or what it deemed desirable or undesirable. I do consider it ignorant to assume that sexualized work is also sub par or not taken seriously. That's painting a swath with a broad brush. The skill and representation in art determines its quality not its subject matter.

I'm on FA and here. I'm not a fetish artist usually, but I have my moments. I am only speaking from personal observation, but it does not seem to be encouraged at all here on Weasyl. It is just somewhat tolerated. As if the general consensus is, "Well people have to have their smut. If we fight it we'll lose too much user base." which is kind of sad.

I've not been posting sexualized art I've made here on Weasyl mostly due to my own direction I want to take but also the general mentality makes me wary of when I do decide to post something sexy/fetish-related.

I understand many people don't want sex and fucking for its own sake. Even I don't usually but I want erotica and pornography to be considered on individual levels not just all lumped together in a "this is detestable" manner. That can actually be insulting to the artists that spend real time and effort to make a skillful piece of art work. But even if the quality is not the best, if people are expressing interests and what they are passionate for there's no reason to throw their work under the bus either.

The good news though is I don't see fetish artists directly shunned or bullied or anything. At worst ignored, but that's just it, pushing fetishes and sexuality will be ignored at times and there's no shame in that either. Everyone has a shut-off switch involving that. It's not all there is to life and sometimes the interest is so low that there is no response.

There is a presence of sexual and fetish artists on Weasyl and many of them are of great quality. Honestly, the atmosphere is mostly accepting, it is just the reasoning behind the acceptance needs to have a slightly better tone.

Are average users on Weasyl less tolerant? Compared to FA, I would say without a doubt, yes. But that's not necessarily a bad thing either. Weasyl is not furry-only or a caterer to the furry community and its sexual avenues. There is some sense in moderation or limiting doses. It's just not right when it crosses the border into controlling too much or outright suppression just to please an outcry of those overly prudent. Which Weasyl has not done, and I am glad for that.

Last edited by Viciviser; 09-01-2015 at 12:13 AM.
Reason: answered the OP's question

I personally think that Weasyl being more critical towards art to be a very good thing. The world, and especially this community, deserves to be caressed by quality art and not mindless fetish works, and I am very pleased to see that this community is eyeing artwork more critically than FA.

I don't care if People draw Fetish art. You know why? Because Weasyl has a four pronged Rating system AND a blacklist!
My View Rating is at Mature so that I can Enjoy artwork considered Mature (Things that include Violence, Gore,
Strong language or other strong things) without worrying about the Fetishy stuff.

I am on FA, DA and Here. I am a SFW artist in general.
I don't really like looking at Adult content, but I have not had a problem with such on Weasyl at all.

I'd like to see more Non-Fur artists on Weasyl, and I think the furs might be scaring quite a few
Non-Fur artists away, due to various reasons. The main one is Furry's bad media. (this is always a problem)
Second is the Mistagging/Rating issue. I don't know WHY people don't tag their stuff. It's the only way to get found on Weasyl.
The rating system is really easy to understand, too.
I'd say it's 70% media, 30% users not tagging their stuff.

But for the Most Part, it seems those who are there are, like Viciviser said, are just tolerating it.

I thought "fetish" was used to refer to kinds of themes that are rated as low as moderate. >_>

I guess I should have gone with "smut" instead.

I'll say one thing positive about all this. It's seriously making me consider taking a new challenge that might please people who frown upon smut. Somewhat making me excited to try.

Originally Posted by Eduard

I personally think that Weasyl being more critical towards art to be a very good thing. The world, and especially this community, deserves to be caressed by quality art and not mindless fetish works, and I am very pleased to see that this community is eyeing artwork more critically than FA.

I am a honest man, and I personally believe that there is nothing artistic in portraying smut or fetishes either through literary or visual mediums and I believe it causes nothing but drag the audience, and the perception of art down to a level of mediocrity where simply flagging your submission as "pornographic" turns you into a top-notch artist.

The fact that you made this topic is a most commendable deed, as it gives the opportunity to debate the issue that fetish-related submissions bring.

so i'm not alone in this matter? sometimes this fandom makes you feel like that if you don't draw smut you're not a real furry and i think this is kinda a problem because that is not art. and if you become only famous through that well damn. there are so much nice artists out there who really do something with there stuff and deserve much more attention. and they don't draw anything porn related at all. its such a shame.
anyways as i started with drawning again (wich is almost a year ago already i think... nice .v.) i kind off made the promise to myself not to draw any fetish and pornstuff because of the reasons above and the fact that there is much to many anyway. so if i become famous (hopefully not i'm not rly happy with too much attention) it will be because of art and not me being a slut. (i mean this would be theoretically it cuz i would have to draw my fursona naked... and that equals me and... you know what i mean.)

I think the problem with fetish art, at least from my personal perspective, is that there doesn't really seem to be any... incentive, to advance one's skills or diversify your portfolio. Because why would someone put in time and effort to improve their art or learn perspective, anatomy, color theory, etc. if they can get 500 favs on a picture of a circle with amy rose's head on top.

I'm not saying that all fetish artists are like that, mind you, but you can't disagree that almost universally (at least in lower skill brackets) non-fetish art of arguably equal quality would get less attention. So people who don't draw fetish art might feel ignored. And people who do draw fetish art might never challenge themselves because they've always been praised for doing what they've always done.

that's how I see it, at least. Now don't get me wrong, I think people should be allowed to draw whatever they want. And I'm glad that Weasyl also provides us the tools to help filter out what one might not want to see. But if you define your entire image by your kinks, that doesn't leave a lot for anyone on the outside to work with.